The American Heritage High School Dictionary (2007) states its first definition of the term history as “a narrative of events; a story” (p. 568). Indeed, the history, or the story of the Holocaust, and the narrative of events that surround it, are some of the most vital, some of the most significant stories that can be told, as well as taught, not only in relation to history, but in relation to human nature as well. “The centrality of the Holocaust to 20th century world history cannot be overstated. As a, perhaps the, key event of the century, the Holocaust must be known by any person who wants to understand that period” (Lindquist, 2008, p. 5). Studying and teaching the Holocaust can be extremely tricky for multiple reasons, especially in a public school setting where there often exists a diversity of people, as well as various rules and regulations that may limit or hinder the teaching of such a sensitive subject. “Teaching the Holocaust is an emotional process that can be extremely difficult, especially without the proper resources” (Russell, 2005, p. 93). Many experts note that special demands on the teacher and the curriculum occur when teaching the Holocaust (Lindquist 2006, 2007, & 2008; Russell 2005; McGlinn 2003). “Planning and implementing Holocaust curricula is also complex and problematic because multiple pedagogical concerns plague the teaching of the event” (Lindquist 2006). Not only does the Holocaust contain numerous topics that can be and need to be studied and examined to understand this catastrophic event, but each of these topics in themselves are complex, emotionally heavy, and difficult to teach and learn. Given the special requirements involved in teaching a Holocaust unit, given the special pedagogical concerns, and the somber and sensitive nature of the subject, many public school educators might find themselves asking how they can structure a curriculum unit so that they can effectively and efficiently teach the Holocaust. Before the question of how to effectively teach a Holocaust unit can be answered, one must first answer the question why is teaching a unit over the Holocaust important? Why even bother to teach it? Different educators will have different objectives for teaching a Holocaust unit. It is important for educators to take time to assess and evaluate the reasons that they want to teach the Holocaust and what goals they have for the unit. “As an educator, take the time to consider the rationale for your lesson on the Holocaust,” (USHMM, n.p.) As with most any lesson, the reasons for teaching the lesson, especially one that concerns such complex and sensitive issues as the Holocaust, needs to be clearly established before the unit is taught. This helps to ensure the accuracy of the lesson plans, as well as the goals and objectives of the whole curriculum unit. On their website, http://www.holocaust-trc.org, The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) outlines the following rationales for teaching the Holocaust:
The Holocaust was a watershed even, not only in the 20th century, but also in the entire history of humanity.
Study of the Holocaust assists students in developing understanding of the ramifications of prejudice, racism, and stereotyping in any society. It helps students develop an awareness of the value of pluralism, and encourages tolerance of diversity in a pluralistic society.
The Holocaust provides a context for exploring the dangers of remaining silent, apathetic, and indifferent in the face of others’ oppression.
Holocaust history demonstrates how a modern nation can utilize its technological expertise and bureaucratic infrastructure to implement destructive policies from social engineering to genocide.
A study of the Holocaust helps students think about the use and abuse of power, and the role and responsibilities of individuals, organizations, and nations when confronted with civil rights violations and/or policies of genocide.
As students gain insight into the many historical, social, religious, and economic factors, which cumulatively resulted in the Holocaust, they gain a perspective on how history happens, and how a convergence of factors can contribute to the disintegration of civilized values. Part of one’s responsibility as a citizen in a democracy is to learn to identify the danger signals, and to know when to react (n.p).
In his article, Five Perspectives for Teaching the Holocaust, David Lindquist (2008), supports the USHMM’s rationales, but also examines another rationale behind studying the Holocaust and that is the idea of defining patterns of human behavior. Lindquist says, “The belief that limits on the extremes of human behavior existed…was destroyed, perhaps irretrievably, by the Holocaust. Examining the event forces students to consider fundamental questions that focus on critical concepts such as the nature of being human, and the potential limits of human behavior, both positive and negative” (2008, p. 6-7). It is important that students learn to evaluate human nature, especially in a society such as today’s that is riddled with war. “By considering such ideas, students begin to evaluate their own motives, behaviors, and perceptions” (Lindquist, 2008, p. 7). As students begin to understand the events leading to and surrounding the Holocaust, they begin to construct their own perceptions of human behavior and of right and wrong. From this, hopefully students will then begin to construct their own ideas of what kind of person they want to be, and hopefully that kind of person will be one that values human life, a democratic society, freedom, and equality for all humans, regardless of religion, culture, or race. After examining and outlining the rationales behind why it is important to teach the Holocaust and the reasons for which they want to teach the unit, educators may then focus on the best ways to efficiently and efficiently teach the Holocaust “The care that must be employed in designing and implementing Holocaust curricula should be emphasized,” (Lindquist, 2006, p. 215) because, when taught in an efficient and effective manner, the Holocaust—either as a historical or literature unit, or as a unit by itself—teaches students numerous, imperative, life-long concepts.Such concepts include, but are not limited to the importance of being responsible citizens; the importance of standing up for what is right, sometimes at the expense of one’s own life; the importance of promoting a free and democratic society; and the importance of not only understanding the capacity of both evil and good in human behavior, but realizing that each of us—to some degree—possesses that evilness and goodness. To effectively and efficiently teach a subject, especially a complex one such as the Holocaust, educators must themselves be properly educated. In his article, A Necessary Holocaust Pedagogy: Teaching the Teachers, David Lindquist (2007), discusses the importance of educating and training teachers proper techniques and lessons to use when teaching the Holocaust. On their website, the USHMM also discusses how important it is for educators to properly prepare before taking on the pedagogical challenges that Holocaust curricula presents. To help educators prepare for these challenges there are numerous print and non-print resources available, as well as pre-made lesson plans specifically designed to aid teachers in the best methods for teaching a Holocaust curriculum unit. One key element for an educator to properly teach the unit is for the educator to first develop the unit based on his/her goals and objectives for teaching the unit, as previously discussed. The purpose or rationale for teaching the unit will affect the ultimate goals and objectives for the lesson. However, regardless of the rationales, goals, and objectives that an educator has for his/her unit, and regardless if the Holocaust is being taught as a history or literature unit, or as a unit within itself, experts agree that it is imperative that the educator be properly educated and trained in both Holocaust history and pedagogy. “The training teachers receive in both Holocaust history and pedagogy will affect directly the way the event is presented to the students in those teachers’ classrooms,” (Lindquist, 2007, p. 23) and that is one reason why it is so vital that educators have proper training and proper resources before attempting to teach others about it. On their website, the USHMM outlines the following fourteen methodological considerations when teaching the Holocaust: 1.Define the term “Holocaust” 2.Avoid comparisons of pain. 3.Avoid simple answers to complex history. 4.Just because it happened does not mean it was inevitable. 5.Strive for precision of language. 6.Make careful distinctions about sources of information. 7.Try to avoid stereotypical descriptions. 8.Do not romanticize history to engage students’ interests. 9.Contextualize the history you are teaching. 10.Translate statistics into people. 11.Be sensitive to appropriate written and audio-visual content. 12.Strive for balance in establishing whose perspective informs your study of the Holocaust. 13.Select appropriate learning activities. 14.Reinforce the objectives of your lesson plan. The USHMM website goes into further description for each of these considerations, but basically the USHMM is emphasizing to educators that the demands involved in teaching Holocaust curriculum are not to be taken lightly. “The teaching of the Holocaust history demands of educators a high level of sensitivity and keen awareness of the complexity of the subject matter” (USHMM, n.p.). It is equally important for educators to understand and emphasize to students all sides of peoples and issues surrounding the Holocaust, as outlined in the considerations and methods put forth by the USHMM and other experts. In doing this, a clearer, more realistic unit is taught to students. To help educators teach this complex unit, many resources are available, but again, educators must be careful with these sources and the ways in which they are implemented. It is easy, and many experts would argue, typical, for educators to focus on certain, romanticized aspects of the Holocaust. In doing this, the “true” story is often left untold and untaught. In his article, Guidelines for Teaching the Holocaust: Avoiding Common Pedagogical Errors, David Lindquist suggests the following criteria when teaching the Holocaust:
The vast numbers associated with the event must be accompanied by personal stories.
The story of Anne Frank is only one story within the Holocaust.
The Holocaust must be contextualized within larger historical frameworks.
The Holocaust’s unique dynamics must be observed while teaching the event.
Teachers must recognize that teaching the Holocaust can be controversial.
The selections of appropriate methodologies are critical in developing Holocaust units.
Graphic images should be used sparingly and carefully when teaching the Holocaust.
Holocaust education is appropriate at the middle school level and above.
In addition to ensuring that the historical aspect, as well as the individual story is taught, many experts also express the importance of avoiding common stereotypes when teaching the Holocaust. In her article, Challenging Stereotypes and Avoiding the Superficial: A Suggested Approach to Teaching the Holocaust, Alison Kitson (2001) discusses the importance of being mindful of common misconceptions and stereotypes that many students bring with them into a Holocaust discussion. Such misconceptions include: ·All Germans were Nazis. ·Only Germans were anti-Semitic. ·The Nazis invented anti-Semitism. ·Jews were helpless victims and didn’t fight back. ·Jews living in Germany were not German. ·All the victims died in gas chambers. By thinking about the kinds of misconceptions that students already harbor in relation to the issues and peoples surrounding the Holocaust, then by addressing these misconceptions, as well as addressing other commonly construed views of the Holocaust (such as only teaching the story of Anne Frank, or only teaching about the victims of the Holocaust, rather than the Nazis as well), educators can better teach the “true” history and narratives of this monumental moment in history, and students are better equipped to learn the true, valuable life-lessons that this story teaches. Finally, it is important to remember the greatest lesson that can be taught in a Holocaust unit is examining the question of why and/or how did something like the Holocaust happen? As students examine this question, hopefully a greater understanding of human nature, power, and democracy will emerge in each student, and from that understanding, students will begin to realize and understand the importance of being a free, independent learner and thinker; the privilege of living in a free and democratic society; and the importance of promoting freedom and equality for all. Moreover, educators need to understand “that the Holocaust is, to some extent, an event that goes beyond one’s capacity for understanding,” (Lindquist, 2006, p. 217), but that through the study of the Holocaust, even if not through the complete understanding of it, society can learn how to avoid an event such as this from every happening again. As Rudyard Kipling (1897) said, “Lest we forget.”
Before the question of how to effectively teach a Holocaust unit can be answered, one must first answer the question why is teaching a unit over the Holocaust important? Why even bother to teach it? Different educators will have different objectives for teaching a Holocaust unit. It is important for educators to take time to assess and evaluate the reasons that they want to teach the Holocaust and what goals they have for the unit. “As an educator, take the time to consider the rationale for your lesson on the Holocaust,” (USHMM, n.p.) As with most any lesson, the reasons for teaching the lesson, especially one that concerns such complex and sensitive issues as the Holocaust, needs to be clearly established before the unit is taught. This helps to ensure the accuracy of the lesson plans, as well as the goals and objectives of the whole curriculum unit. On their website, http://www.holocaust-trc.org, The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) outlines the following rationales for teaching the Holocaust:
In his article, Five Perspectives for Teaching the Holocaust, David Lindquist (2008), supports the USHMM’s rationales, but also examines another rationale behind studying the Holocaust and that is the idea of defining patterns of human behavior. Lindquist says, “The belief that limits on the extremes of human behavior existed…was destroyed, perhaps irretrievably, by the Holocaust. Examining the event forces students to consider fundamental questions that focus on critical concepts such as the nature of being human, and the potential limits of human behavior, both positive and negative” (2008, p. 6-7). It is important that students learn to evaluate human nature, especially in a society such as today’s that is riddled with war. “By considering such ideas, students begin to evaluate their own motives, behaviors, and perceptions” (Lindquist, 2008, p. 7). As students begin to understand the events leading to and surrounding the Holocaust, they begin to construct their own perceptions of human behavior and of right and wrong. From this, hopefully students will then begin to construct their own ideas of what kind of person they want to be, and hopefully that kind of person will be one that values human life, a democratic society, freedom, and equality for all humans, regardless of religion, culture, or race.
After examining and outlining the rationales behind why it is important to teach the Holocaust and the reasons for which they want to teach the unit, educators may then focus on the best ways to efficiently and efficiently teach the Holocaust “The care that must be employed in designing and implementing Holocaust curricula should be emphasized,” (Lindquist, 2006, p. 215) because, when taught in an efficient and effective manner, the Holocaust—either as a historical or literature unit, or as a unit by itself—teaches students numerous, imperative, life-long concepts. Such concepts include, but are not limited to the importance of being responsible citizens; the importance of standing up for what is right, sometimes at the expense of one’s own life; the importance of promoting a free and democratic society; and the importance of not only understanding the capacity of both evil and good in human behavior, but realizing that each of us—to some degree—possesses that evilness and goodness.
To effectively and efficiently teach a subject, especially a complex one such as the Holocaust, educators must themselves be properly educated. In his article, A Necessary Holocaust Pedagogy: Teaching the Teachers, David Lindquist (2007), discusses the importance of educating and training teachers proper techniques and lessons to use when teaching the Holocaust. On their website, the USHMM also discusses how important it is for educators to properly prepare before taking on the pedagogical challenges that Holocaust curricula presents. To help educators prepare for these challenges there are numerous print and non-print resources available, as well as pre-made lesson plans specifically designed to aid teachers in the best methods for teaching a Holocaust curriculum unit. One key element for an educator to properly teach the unit is for the educator to first develop the unit based on his/her goals and objectives for teaching the unit, as previously discussed. The purpose or rationale for teaching the unit will affect the ultimate goals and objectives for the lesson. However, regardless of the rationales, goals, and objectives that an educator has for his/her unit, and regardless if the Holocaust is being taught as a history or literature unit, or as a unit within itself, experts agree that it is imperative that the educator be properly educated and trained in both Holocaust history and pedagogy. “The training teachers receive in both Holocaust history and pedagogy will affect directly the way the event is presented to the students in those teachers’ classrooms,” (Lindquist, 2007, p. 23) and that is one reason why it is so vital that educators have proper training and proper resources before attempting to teach others about it.
On their website, the USHMM outlines the following fourteen methodological considerations when teaching the Holocaust:
1. Define the term “Holocaust”
2. Avoid comparisons of pain.
3. Avoid simple answers to complex history.
4. Just because it happened does not mean it was inevitable.
5. Strive for precision of language.
6. Make careful distinctions about sources of information.
7. Try to avoid stereotypical descriptions.
8. Do not romanticize history to engage students’ interests.
9. Contextualize the history you are teaching.
10. Translate statistics into people.
11. Be sensitive to appropriate written and audio-visual content.
12. Strive for balance in establishing whose perspective informs your study of the Holocaust.
13. Select appropriate learning activities.
14. Reinforce the objectives of your lesson plan.
The USHMM website goes into further description for each of these considerations, but basically the USHMM is emphasizing to educators that the demands involved in teaching Holocaust curriculum are not to be taken lightly. “The teaching of the Holocaust history demands of educators a high level of sensitivity and keen awareness of the complexity of the subject matter” (USHMM, n.p.). It is equally important for educators to understand and emphasize to students all sides of peoples and issues surrounding the Holocaust, as outlined in the considerations and methods put forth by the USHMM and other experts. In doing this, a clearer, more realistic unit is taught to students.
To help educators teach this complex unit, many resources are available, but again, educators must be careful with these sources and the ways in which they are implemented. It is easy, and many experts would argue, typical, for educators to focus on certain, romanticized aspects of the Holocaust. In doing this, the “true” story is often left untold and untaught. In his article, Guidelines for Teaching the Holocaust: Avoiding Common Pedagogical Errors, David Lindquist suggests the following criteria when teaching the Holocaust:
In addition to ensuring that the historical aspect, as well as the individual story is taught, many experts also express the importance of avoiding common stereotypes when teaching the Holocaust. In her article, Challenging Stereotypes and Avoiding the Superficial: A Suggested Approach to Teaching the Holocaust, Alison Kitson (2001) discusses the importance of being mindful of common misconceptions and stereotypes that many students bring with them into a Holocaust discussion. Such misconceptions include:
· All Germans were Nazis.
· Only Germans were anti-Semitic.
· The Nazis invented anti-Semitism.
· Jews were helpless victims and didn’t fight back.
· Jews living in Germany were not German.
· All the victims died in gas chambers.
By thinking about the kinds of misconceptions that students already harbor in relation to the issues and peoples surrounding the Holocaust, then by addressing these misconceptions, as well as addressing other commonly construed views of the Holocaust (such as only teaching the story of Anne Frank, or only teaching about the victims of the Holocaust, rather than the Nazis as well), educators can better teach the “true” history and narratives of this monumental moment in history, and students are better equipped to learn the true, valuable life-lessons that this story teaches.
Finally, it is important to remember the greatest lesson that can be taught in a Holocaust unit is examining the question of why and/or how did something like the Holocaust happen? As students examine this question, hopefully a greater understanding of human nature, power, and democracy will emerge in each student, and from that understanding, students will begin to realize and understand the importance of being a free, independent learner and thinker; the privilege of living in a free and democratic society; and the importance of promoting freedom and equality for all. Moreover, educators need to understand “that the Holocaust is, to some extent, an event that goes beyond one’s capacity for understanding,” (Lindquist, 2006, p. 217), but that through the study of the Holocaust, even if not through the complete understanding of it, society can learn how to avoid an event such as this from every happening again. As Rudyard Kipling (1897) said, “Lest we forget.”